Chapter 23
Chapter
Twenty-Three
Marz
“I’m usually against violence,” Heir’s father, Jeremy, said. “But I don’t want this threat lingering over my daughter’s head.”
I’d taken her home this morning so she could pack a couple of bags, though I didn’t see her having to stay with me for long—unless it was by choice.
I had people watching Jay’s house and Iman’s office.
Now that we knew they were related, I was able to use Jay’s social media to track other family members.
He wasn’t connected to a lot of people online, but there was a flashy cousin who’d posted a photo with Iman in the background.
I had Eze look into the location to get the address, and if Jay didn’t come home today, I’d be pulling up to that address tomorrow.
I knew it was risky killing Jay knowing he was Iman’s son, but that’s where we were now.
Iman wasn’t going to come out of hiding for nothing. Burying his son would be the reason.
“I give you my word that I’m going to handle this as quickly as possible,” I assured Jeremy. “This isn’t how I wanted our relationship to start but—”
He waved me off with a smile. “You protecting my daughter and making sure she doesn’t get hurt is a better start than random get to know you conversations. Can I trust you to protect her heart and mind too? Her peace? Her reputation?”
“With my life.”
I didn’t feel the need to weigh the conversation down with a lot of words.
There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for Heir or to keep her safe.
The sound of her soft laugh had me looking toward the doorframe as she and her mom, Tiffany, entered the living room.
I stood and grabbed her bags, then set them by the front door.
Tiffany took my hand into hers and gave it a gentle tap.
“Keep my baby safe,” she demanded. “When you bring her back, I want her back just like I’m giving her to you.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I agreed with a small chuckle. “I don’t really want to give her back, but I will so I can ask you and your husband for her properly.”
“I like the sound of that,” Tiffany replied as Jeremy wrapped his arm around her waist.
My phone vibrated, and I was pretty sure it was my alarm.
I’d set one to remind me of when I needed to drop Heir off so I could meet Kiana.
She’d finally sent me her doctor’s information and the day and time to meet.
Getting my cheek swabbed was the only matter more pressing to me today than finding Iman and Jay.
We said our goodbyes, then I checked outside before leading Heir to the car.
I wasn’t worried about Jay coming after her, but his father was a different story.
I wished I would have killed him the first day I went to his house.
Now Heir wouldn’t be able to save him. Hell, she didn’t even want to.
“Oh, did you need to get your laptop, bae?” I asked as I pulled out of her parents’ driveway.
“No. I… quit this morning. I planned to when I was done with Iman’s account, and since I don’t have to worry about that anymore, I went ahead on and quit.”
“That’s good, Wifey. I’m proud of you for preparing to do what you really want to do with your life.”
She smiled as she looked over at me. “I’m nervous but excited. It’s going to feel weird going back to school at my age, but I know it’s going to be worth it.”
“You ’bout to get yo’ Jaleesa on huh?” I teased, making her laugh immediately. The amount of times she made me watch A Different World and The Cosby Show at the safehouse had me never wanting to watch either again, but I would whenever she wanted to.
“A little,” Heir said through her laughter. “I definitely won’t be staying on campus though.”
“Oh, I already know that. I’ma try my hardest to keep you with me after this shit is over. I’ma keep my word to your mama though.”
“She’s going to eat that up. She loves old school, sentimental shit. As soon as you ask her if I can move in with you, she’s going to cry.”
“Nah, bae. I’m asking for their permission to marry you, not just have you live with me.”
Heir looked over at me with a smile. “You still want that?”
“Of course.”
“What if…” Her smile fell, and I didn’t have to hear the words to know she was thinking about the baby.
“I’ll be a stepmom before I have my own baby.
” Scoffing, she looked out of the window.
I took her hand into mine to keep her in the present moment instead of stressing over something we weren’t sure would even be an issue.
“Would you be okay with that? I know that’s not ideal. I wanted to keep you from being exposed to this, but the Iman situation showed me I have to include you and not just expect you to blindly follow my lead, even if I’m trying to do the right thing.”
That caused her to look over at me with a smile before she kissed my hand.
“Thank you, babe. And I would be okay with it. It’ll just be an adjustment.
Had you cheated on me with her and gotten her pregnant, I wouldn’t be in this car.
But I know this wasn’t intentional, and I’m not going to punish the both of us and deny us of what we want because you may be having a baby.
And I don’t want you to think I’ll resent you or the baby if you turn out to be the father.
It’s not ideal, but it’ll be us, and I will accept anything and anyone that comes with you as long as you treat me right. ”
“Thank you for saying that. I know I’ve said it before, but I truly am sorry to have put us in this position. Even if you’re not the first mother of my child, I promise you’ll be the last. And you will be the only woman I ever marry.”
Her mouth twisted to the side as she nodded before she leaned against the center console and gave me a quick kiss. I cut the music up and decided to leave her in her thoughts, because mine were heavy as well. Hopefully we’d both feel some relief after I took the test.
I tried to remain calm, but that was getting harder with each passing second.
I’d rushed to get to the appointment just to find out we weren’t doing the test today.
For whatever reason, Kiana had me to come to a regular checkup appointment.
As irritated as I was, I stayed and listened to the baby’s heartbeat, but as soon as the doctor told her she could get dressed, I left the room.
Now, we were standing by her car, and I was trying to find the right words to firmly express how I felt without hurting her sensitive ass feelings.
“Why did you ask me to come here if we weren’t doing the paternity test, Kiana?” I asked as softly as I could.
“I thought you might want to see the baby and hear its heartbeat.”
“And you didn’t think you should tell me that? I came here with the expectation that we were doing the test. I’m cool with Daniel being the one doing these kinds of appointments with you.”
“Oh.” She chuckled as she placed her hands on her waist. “So you don’t want to be here for me and the baby until you know it’s yours?”
Though I shrugged, “Yeah,” slipped from my lips quickly.
“I’m not trying to get attached to this baby if it’s not mine.
I don’t know why you would even want me here with you knowing how Daniel feels about our friendship.
You don’t think he’s going to find it suspicious that you asked me to be here with you instead of him? ”
Her pout did nothing to sway me as she leaned against the car. “He doesn’t have to know,” she reasoned.
“You don’t know who saw us up in there. You’re playing a dangerous game, and I have no idea why. If you don’t want him to know there’s a chance this baby is mine, you need to get the fucking test done and not have me up here for anything else.”
“Okay, alright,” she agreed, lifting her hands and her voice. “Excuse me for wanting to involve you.”
“Don’t involve me in shit except that test. I’m sorry if that sounds harsh, but I’m doing what’s best for all parties involved. If this is my baby, I’ll be at every appointment. If that’s what you want, set up the test.”
Kiana nodded as I opened the door for her. I waited until she was out of the parking lot to pull off, and I decided then and there if she didn’t set up this test by the end of the month, I was going to tell Daniel about us myself.